You'll Be In My Heart
by unagi23
Summary: After five years, Zac and Vanessa decide to take a break. This is my own sad interpretation of how it might have happened.  *Story updated based on the pics of Zac visiting Vanessa's house
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so I know this may be a little soon, but I feel like it needs to be done.**

**Here I was looking for the perfect opportunity for a new story, and this shows up. Definitely not what I had in mind. :/**

**This entire one-shot is fictitious (obviously) except for the beginning, which is based off of the vid in Hawaii. No one knows what truly happened, and this is just my own interpretation of what may have gone down.**

**Warning: If you are a fan of the couple,you are likely to cry. I practically did writing it. haha**

**Well as a fan, I must say this came as quite a shock. But I believe that if they are meant to be together, it will happen again someday. :)**

***I do not own HSM or its characters (and obviously not the actors in the series) :p***

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* * *

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It was a cool, quite evening in Waikiki as the two young lovers waited for their car. They had just finished a pleasant dinner and were making their way out to the lobby.

Despite the few days they had gotten off for Thanksgiving, Zac and Vanessa were completely exhausted. Their long days on set were finally starting to take a toll on them, and both admitted to being more worn out than they had been in months. Even with the mini-vacation they were lucky enough to receive, the two still didn't feel like they were completely able to relax.

"I asked them to pick us up at 6:30, so it shouldn't be long," Zac said as he fumbled with a toothpick.

"Okay, that's fine," his dark haired girlfriend replied. She was attempting to put her jacket into her bag when she was caught of guard by a pair of lips heading her way.

Vanessa paused for a moment, closed her eyes, and met him halfway. It was a quick peck, but she was happy.

While still struggling with the jacket, she placed yet another kiss on his lips.

Then suddenly, she had the strongest urge not to let go. Zac felt Vanessa slide an arm around his neck and another onto his back.

He certainly was not going to complain.

The two continued their liplock, oblivious to anyone else around. Vanessa slowly rubbed her hand up and down his back, sending chills up Zac's spine. And he gently his hands down the back of her head, something he knew that she absolutely loved.

After what seemed like an hour (especially to those who happened to be watching nearby), they finally broke the kiss. As a last minute show of affection Zac leaned down to gently place his lips on Vanessa's neck. She immediately closed her eyes in pure bliss.

"I love you," he whispered next to her ear.

Zac thought he heard her repeat the same as she walked around and hugged him front behind.

A muffled, "I really do" followed when she leaned her head into his back.

While stroking the hands that were caressing his chest, Zac couldn't help but think about the goodbye that was coming up sooner than he wished.

This was starting to become an unfortunate pattern for them.

They would spend three or so weeks apart, manage to meet up for a couple of days, then have to bid farewell yet again. And the longer they spent together, he thought, the harder it was becoming to say goodbye.

Little did he know, the exact same thoughts were running through his girl's mind.

Vanessa had been more than thrilled when she and Zac made the decision to celebrate Thanksgiving together in Hawaii. They hadn't seen each other since Halloween, and that had only been for the weekend. Now they would be getting 4 or so days to reunite. But they were approaching yet another goodbye, and it was giving her knots in her stomach.

So as the two stood there, waiting for their transportation to arrive, they both let out a little sigh.

Life had suddenly become very complicated.

* * *

_Later that night..._

Vanessa had just come out of the shower when she caught Zac laying on the hotel bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Zac?" she asked.

He didn't look directly at her. "Yeah?"

"I," she began, "I think we should talk."

"Alright."

Without another word he sat up and moved to the foot of the bed, giving her room to join him.

There was silence for a moment, and the tension was enough to make both their stomachs churn.

Vanessa grabbed the hand of his that was resting next to her, and began.

"I can't keep doing this anymore. I can't...I can't keep saying goodbye to you like this."

She avoided making eye contact, knowing that it would likely start bringing tears.

"The first time we did this, back when we first started dating, I was miserable. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat. And that was just after a year together. And now..."

Tears started to form in her eyes. "And now..."

She couldn't finish her sentence, but Zac didn't need her to.

Vanessa somehow managed to get out another thought. "We just don't have time for each other anymore."

The tears finally came pouring out. "And I hate that it's come to this."

Zac knew it was his turn, but he too had to try his hardest to keep from crying.

"Let's face it, Van, we lucked out in Vancouver. I don't know how, but the universe must have been on our side or something. But we're almost never going to be that fortunate. You and I, I feel like our careers are really taking off right now, you know? I have a whole bunch of projects lined up to film next year, and you have a lot of opportunities up for grabs too. And you have Sucker Punch and Beastly coming out and everything...and, and that means more time apart."

He sniffed, and rubbed his finger under his eyes. "And quite frankly, I'm not sure how much more separation I can take."

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I know relationships aren't easy, but I think we've hit a point in our lives where we're taking on more than we can handle."

Zac looked at his crying girlfriend, and pushed a single strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't think it's fair to keep causing ourselves this much pain and stress, Van."

The two stopped talking again for a minute and all that could be heard were the sounds of sniffles.

Then Zac said the words they had both been to afraid to admit. "I think we should take a break."

There it was. It had finally happened.

Vanessa scooted closer to Zac and leaned her head on his shoulder as he placed an arm on her thigh.

"So this it it," she whispered.

"I guess so."

But Zac had a few more thoughts that she needed to hear. "I want you to know something. In no way at all do I regret these past five years, Van. Not one bit. And I hope that you don't either."

"Of course not."

"And who knows, when our lives finally calm down a bit, we may find that we're ready to pick up where we left off."

"That's true."

"But Vanessa?"

For the first time, she turned just slightly to look at the man whose shoulder she was crying on.

"You have to promise that we never stop being friends. Because I don't know what I would do without you in my life."

At a loss for words, all she could do was gently nod.

"One more thing. I love you, Vanessa Anne Hudgens. Never forget that."

"I love you too, Zac. And I always will. And I believe that if we are meant to be," she paused a moment to take a breath, "we'll find our way again."

"Absolutely."

Nothing more was said between the two of them, as they sat side by side on their hotel bed. They were simply enjoying their last few moments together, hoping that in the end...everything would fall back into place.


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all, thank you to everyone who reviewed it so far! I really appreciated the comments. **

**Well, I never intended for this to become a story, but with all of the things flying around about these two, I couldn't resist. **

**This is based off of the pics/sightings of Zac at Vanessa's house two days in a row. **

**As of right now no one truly knows what is going on between them, so this is all just my own idea of what may be happening behind the scenes. (Reminder: this is purely fiction)**

**And I know there were tweets about the two of them shopping before Christmas, but for the purpose of my story I'm just going to pretend that never happened. **

**Well, enjoy and feel free to review!**

**P.S. If something **_**really big**_** happens again (in regards to their relationship), you better believe I'll be adding a new chapter. ;)**

***I do not own HSM or its characters (and obviously not the actors in the series)***

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Vanessa nervously bit her bottom lip as she quickly flipped through television channels.

_Am I out of my mind?_

Realizing she had already gone through each channel at least three times, she gave up and, with a sigh, turned the television off.

_Why did I agree to this? _she wondered. _It's probably just going to make things more complicated._

She looked at her phone.

_11:55_.

He'd be there in only five minutes.

Part of her was absolutely ecstatic to see him again. But on the other hand, her heart was beating so fast with anxiety and she thought she was going to throw up.

Surprisingly, however, she was anything but angry at him.

They had still remained in contact since they had declared themselves on a "break." They had texted quite a bit, even talked on the phone a few times. He had called to wish her a Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year.

And because of that, being mad at him was next to impossible.

It was his idea to get together in the first place. He had called saying he was back in LA and suggested that the two meet up to talk. Surprisingly, she had agreed and said he could come over her place for lunch.

And now she was waiting on the couch expecting the whole thing to turn disastrous.

For one thing, it would be awkward. No doubt about it.

_How are two people on a break supposed to act? Is it weird to kiss? Am I just supposed to give him a hug? _

She bit her lip again.

_And it's probably too awkward to call him "babe" or "boo"...or "baby boo." So that means "Zaccy" is pushing it too._

Vanessa thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of her garage door opening.

12:00.

The time had finally arrived.

* * *

Zac turned off the car, but did not immediately get out.

It was just starting to hit him that he was about to see Vanessa after over a month apart.

Yes, it was certainly going to be awkward. He knew that when he suggested they get together.

But God, did he miss her.

Just as he stepped out of his Audi, and shut the door, Zac became incredibly apprehensive about the situation.

_Wait, am I allowed to kiss her? Or is that being a bit too forward? Is hugging okay, or does that send the wrong message? How the hell are people on a break supposed to act around each other?_

But instead of giving himself a headache, he decided to just go inside and go from there.

Vaness was already waiting near the door, but she didn't look all that glad to see him.

"Oh, was I not supposed to let myself in?" Zac asked, his voice a bit shaky. "I know I have a key and everything but..."

"It's fine."

And then there it was. The awkward silence both had been dreading.

Each of them stood there for a minute, unsure of how to make the first move.

Zac decided to be the brave one.

He slowly walked up to Vanessa, gently hugged her and as he pulled back, placed a light kiss on her cheek.

_There_. he thought. _I don't think I overstepped any boundaries with that._

Zac noticed a smile slowly starting to form on her face, causing one to appear on his as well.

"It's really good to see you, Vanessa."

"You too, Zac," she replied quietly.

_Okay, so maybe things aren't __that __awkward. _she thought. _Not yet anyway._

Despite the circumstances, both still felt incredibly comfortable around each other. They had always considered themselves to be best friends, even when in a relationship, so spending time together (even now) still made both content.

"You hungry?" she asked casually.

Zac laughed. "Aren't I always?"

Munching on their grilled cheese sandwiches, the two took the time to catch up on everything that had been happening in their lives over the past few weeks.

"I'm sorry again about not being able to make it to your birthday party. It really killed me that I had to miss it."

Vanessa took a sip of her water then spoke.

"Zac, I told you already that it's not a big deal. I knew you had to be on set."

She noticed he wouldn't look her in the eye, so she quickly changed the mood.

"So Ashley and Brittany got pretty wasted."

"I'm not surprised," he said with a chuckle. "And you?"

"I only had a few drinks. But to be honest, considering it was _my _party, I probably should have been the one with the major hangover the next day."

"Leave it to those two to steal the spotlight."

They both quietly laughed, and then it was silent again.

"Did you have a nice Christmas?" she asked, taking another bite of her sandwich.

"Yeah, yeah. It was really nice to see everyone again."

"Even Dylan?" Vanessa asked jokingly. She always liked Dylan, but she used to enjoyed teasing the youngest Efron.

"Well..." he replied with a smile. "Nah, I'm kidding. I missed the kid. Even his sarcastic remarks."

Zac paused for a moment. "How was your Christmas?"

"It was good...It really caught me by surprise this year though. I swear it was here before I even had all of my shopping done."

"Yeah, it did come quick. The whole year really flew by."

"Definitely."

_Is this is what it come to? _he asked himself. _We're sitting here talking to each other like a couple of strangers in a diner. _

And once they both finished their lunches, they were left yet again in silence, wondering what to do next.

* * *

Vanessa could feel Zac's eyes on her. She was trying her hardest not to stare as well, but it wasn't easy. She hadn't seen him in person since Thanksgiving.

They had decided to watch a movie, figuring it would take care of any awkward silences that might occur.

However, both found themselves unsure of how to behave around the other on the couch. They didn't want to sit on opposite sides like enemies, but they thought cuddling might be inappropriate. So, they ended up sitting close enough for Zac to drape his arm on the back of the chair just behind Vanessa, with their bodies a few inches apart.

But that didn't stop the two of them from exchanging glances now and then.

It reminded Vanessa of the time before they started dating. They would spend time together with the cast when filming High School Musical and were constantly locking eyes.

One thing was certain though. The tension right now was unbearable for her, just as it was back in 2005. Not because she felt uncomfortable with Zac, but because she just wanted some sort of contact with him.

It was killing her. She wanted to kiss him...badly. So badly that she found herself squirming in her seat.

And the next thing Vanessa knew, her lips were touching his.

She didn't know how it had happened or why. All she knew was that she was enjoying it.

Her arm snaked around the back of his neck and she felt Zac move a hand to the small of her back.

But despite the warmth and feeling of happiness that was taking over her body, her mind suddenly realized what was happening, causing her to break the kiss.

"I'm..I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have done that."

She could still see the lust in Zac's eyes.

"It's okay, really. To be honest," he began with a smile, "I probably would have ended up kissing you at some point while I was over here anyway."

Vanessa turned slightly pink. "I just, I didn't want to...make the situation even more complicated. I promise, I wasn't looking to get anything from you," she looked at the floor in embarrassment. "I just really missed you is all and... I guess it was just a natural reaction.  
Zac's smile got only wider. "Believe me, I've been fighting off urges to kiss you since I walked in the door."

For the first time since his arrival, he saw Vanessa's face light up.

And this time, Zac brought his lips to her, picking up where they had left off.

_One hour later..._

"Can I stop by tomorrow, same time?" Zac asked while grabbing his keys off of the table.

"Sure."

Zac grinned and gave her a quick goodbye smooch. "All right, I'll see you then, Van."

"Bye Zaccy. See you tomorrow."

And as soon as he walked out the door she wandered over to the couch and plopped down.

She hadn't been that happy in weeks.

She felt all warm and tingly, not to mention her cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so much.

But then she was suddenly overcome with a wave of emotion.

_Oh my God, what have I done? _

_I __**kissed**__ him. And then we spent 40 minutes on the couch making out...I called him "Zaccy!" Oh dear God. What if he thinks I want to be 'friends with benefits' or something! Because I sure as hell don't! I don't just want to be some booty call until he finds someone else to date. _

_Or what if he thinks I'm just using him? Or was he just using me? Is that all he came over here for? I mean, we didn't even work anything out! How do I know that he's even interested in making things work? What if he just came over for a little "fun."_

And just like that every bit of happiness Vanessa had in her disappeared.

"That's it!" she yelled aloud. "We are settling this whole thing once and for all tomorrow."

* * *

_The next day..._

Zac pulled into her driveway in one of the best moods he had been in all week.

Yesterday had gone...well, quite different than he expected. He had just been glad to spend some time with her. The last thing he thought would happen was that they would end up making out at the end of the movie. Sure, he wanted to kiss her, but he didn't want her to think he was after anything. But when s_he _initiated it...well, he couldn't resist.

But where did they stand now? Did this mean they were back together or what? Or was she just interested in staying friends? But why would she kiss him then?

He was confused as hell. Vanessa was right, it did end up making the situation more complicated. They really hadn't talked about the status of their relationship at all. But today, they had to.

Zac walked in the house, and, much like yesterday Vanessa was standing there waiting for him.

"Hey," was all he had to say, but he made sure to give her a quick peck, as well. "It's good to see you again."

"Yeah," she said with a smile. "It is."

_Okay, Vanessa, remember you still have __**a**__**lot **__to talk about. Don't fall into any traps now. _

Unfortunately, she felt herself starting to become mesmerized by his baby blues yet again.

_Damn you, Efron._

She hated that he had that sort of effect on her. She could be incredibly pissed at him for whatever reason, but as soon as she was around him she usually forget what she was mad about. His presence just always made her...happy. She couldn't explain it.

Neither of them spoke for a minute as they each tried to find the best way to start the conversation they felt desperately needed to happen.

"Vanessa, can we..talk?"

She didn't even have to ask why.

"Yes. I, uh...I actually was hoping we could."

Zac waited until he and Vanessa were comfortable on her couch, and then began.

"First of all, I too want to apologize for yesterday. It was probably not the best idea."

A smile creeped on to his face, "Not that I didn't enjoy it. But I don't want you to think I was taking advantage of you. Because I wasn't. It was...just a natural reaction for me too, I guess. You should know by now that I can't keep my hands..or lips off of you."

He saw Vanessa blush just slightly.

"But...I love you."

Zac paused. "I never stopped loving you. And when I said I wanted to take a break, it was never about seeing other people. It was about me not being able to see you. But I realized that...there's nothing I can do about that. It's just an unfortunate situation."

She nodded her head in agreement, and then spoke up herself.

"And when** I** said I couldn't keep saying goodbye to you, I was...frustrated. Because I hate that we have to spend so much time apart. But I..I didn't mean that I was giving up. I just meant that we'd have to work a little bit harder at our relationship than normal."

Zac seemed surprised. "Vanessa, why didn't you tell me you didn't want to take a break?"

"Because I knew it needed to be done. And..I really just wanted some time to think things through."

She noticed the curiousity in his face. He was expecting an answer.

"And?"

"I love you, Zac. And I've missed you like crazy."

"Me too, babe."

That was the first time in weeks she had heard him call her that. It melted her heart.

"But what about us being apart so much?" she asked.

Zac took the opportunity to grab her hand and interlock it with his. "Well, we have dealt with it before. I guess we'll just have to make it work. We can still use Facetime, text, and schedule visits now and then. It surely won't be easy, but I think we'll get through it. That is...if you want to give us a try again."

Before answering, Vanessa leaned forward to gently kiss him. "Yes."

They kissed yet again.

"I'm going to miss you when we're apart," she added, "But at least I know that eventually I'll be back in your arms. And everything will feel right again."

Zac pulled her in close to him. "Just like now."

Vanessa sighed, content to be so close with him again. "Yup, just like now."

Cuddled together on the couch, the two could not be happier to be together again. They knew 2011 would certainly hold some challenges, but in the end...it would all be worth it.

* * *

**One final note: I saw the article about them being out at a club last night (and apparently making out ) so maybe things are working out after all, or were never bad to begin with.**


End file.
